Turbine water-wheel



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM OALOIVAY MEADOIVS, OF MORAVIAN FALLS, NORTH CAROLINA.

TU RBINE WATER-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,842, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed May 11, 1889. Serial No. 310,419. (No model.) I

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM OALOWA MEADOWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moravian Falls, in the county of \Vilkes and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turbine lVater-lVheels; and I do declare the following t0 be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The special object of my invention is to construct the bucketof a turbine waterwheel so as to utilize the water-power as much as possible.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of the wheel without the casing; Fig. 2, a horizontal section thereof, and Fig. 3 a detail perspective view of the bucket-piece adjacent to the hub.

In the drawings, A represents a waterwheel,which is preferabl y, b ut not necessarily, made with a hub ITI.

I make the upper part Bof my bucket with a face l inclining forward toward the bottom and slightly concaved. Flush with this face is the edge face 2 on a piece b', placed at angle to piece I? and parallel to the periphery of the wheel. b2 is apiece which connects piece h with the hub I-I and has face 3 curved rearwardly upward to force the water down into the deep cavity h3, where it collects in a solid column and acts propulsively with great effect. The piece b2 extends down into the lower part B of the bucket, where it curves outwardly to the discharge-openin g, While the bottom h4 and side h5 combine with it to form a cavity h, which widens or flares toward the rear.

D is a partition-rin g, which divides the two parts B B of my wheel, and E isthe plate which covers the top of wheel. The buckets are attached in any preferred way to the pieces D E. Between the ringD and thehub II a suitable opening is left unoccupied by the buckets.

The operation is as follows: The water first strikes the outer face 1, then collects 'in a heavy column in the cavity b3 between the hub and the bucket-piece b in consequence of the upper rearward curve of face 3, thence it flows into the cavity b of lthe lower part of my bucket, where the steep rearward curve of the lower end of face 3 and the gradual widen ing of the cavity D cause a free discharge of the water.

I am well acquainted with the turbine water-wheel described in Patent No. 183,828, which has an outward discharge, and also with others which have a downward discharge; but the object of my construction is to combine the two, so as more fully to utilize the power of the water and thus greatly increase the useful elfect. The upper part of my bucket, with its three faces numbered 1 2 3, is entirely unlike the plain surface shown in the' corresponding part of the bucket described in Patent No. 183,828, which has the water-way narrowed so as to clog and impede the incoming water, thus deadening its action. On the other hand, my bucket widens as the water goes to allow a free action and discharge, the velocity of the water being gradually checked by the curves of the bucket. As the volume of the water increases in its progress through the wheel, it requires a larger opening for the discharge than for the entrance, or the wheel would be clogged; hence,

That I clailn as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

In a turbine wheel, the combination, with a ring D and hub II, of an upper part B,having the beveled slightly-concaved face 1, the face 2, parallel to the periphery of wheel, and the face 3, starting at top even with the face 1, curving forward in front of face 2 and covering the space between the face 2 and the said hub, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

'WILIIIAllI CALOWAY MEADOWS.

IVitnesses:

A. WILEs, L. C. JENNINGS. 

